Reverie Reborn
by KaosRuin
Summary: After breaking the barrier Frisk has been having odd nightmares lately, what could they possible mean? And what is Dreamtale? No pairings besides canon, Nightmare and Dream Sans AU
1. Chapter 1

**HEY! Welcome to my newest story and my first attempt at an Undertale fic! I've become obessesed with this game lately and really wanted to try my hand at it. Oh just a heads up, Frisk is a girl in this story and has selective mutism, why? Because I wrote it that way**

 **And a HUUUUGGGGEEEEE thank you to GoldGuardian2418, without their help and inspriation this story would have taken forever to do! They have tons of Undertale fics and a lot of others, go check their stuff out!**

 **Undertale and Dreamtale and all of their characters belong to their respective owners, I own only the idea for the story.**

 **Anyways, enjoy the story!**

Frisk sighed happily though a little tiredly while watching the sunset from her room. She leaned against the open window and watched as the sky was painted different colors as the sun sat and the moon slowly rose opposite it. She loved that she had a window that faced north so she could see both at dawn and dusk, it seemed poetic in a way. It had been almost a year now since she broke the barrier on Mt. Ebbot and freed the monsters trapped underneath, the monsters that became her closest friends and family.

The past year had been full of struggles, but thanks to Frisk's determination to see her new friends happy, she bravely stood before the world's council with her adopted mother and father, the King and Queen of Monsters, Asgore and Toriel. Together the three convinced the humans that they meant no harm and just wanted peace. It had taken a long time, many meetings and close calls, but in the end it was worth it. Monsters had rights and could stay on the surface safely. Sure there was prejudice, but where in the world wasn't in some form or another?

Asgore continued to reign as King with Toriel, who had only partially forgiven him for what he had done in years past, as Queen, who finally got her wish of opening a school and worked there happily. Frisk, though unofficially as she was not old enough quite yet, was the Monster Ambassador to help continue to bridge the gap between the two races. Together the royal couple founded a town at the base of the mountain they were once trapped under, New Town. Yes, Asgore named it in case you were wondering….

Many of the other monsters stayed there and the new city flourished, though a few like Metatton and Muffet traveled around, spreading their show and stores respectively, though they always made sure to return once in awhile to see their loved ones. Undyne stayed in the town keeping her role as Captain of the Guard and security force for the city while Alphys stayed on as a scientist. Her works and findings had started a revolution for science all over the area, though she still made time for her precious anime.

As for Frisk's two favorite skeleton brothers, well they couldn't part for too long from their beloved human. For the first few months the two had vanished, Sans having told her before that he wanted to see the world after so long of not even seeing the sun and the horror of the Resets. And he had wanted Papyrus to see everything as well, he was like a kid in a giant candy store. Frisk had smiled and nodded, hoping for their safety and swift return.

They came home suddenly though one day, shocking the heck out of Frisk when she walked down stairs in her home to see Sans napping on the couch while Papyrus was busy in the kitchen making breakfast for the residents of the house. Frisk was overjoyed at her older brothers return and climbed onto the couch with Sans and cuddled up to him. The skeleton cracked open an eye and his permanent grin softened at her and held her close, nuzzling her softly.

The two had a bond like no other, having spoken about what had happened to them both during the Underground, Resets and everything in between. They were the only ones, bar Flowey who had vanished back Underground, that had any knowledge of what had happened. Frisk had apologized over and over for what he had been put through, having to relive the same days over and over, never in quite the same way and never knowing if he was going to be free. Having seen his friends, his brother, even himself slaughtered over and over by a possessed human. Sans had apologized as well for not being there more for her as well as for what he had done to her when Chara had taken her over, for all the times he had killed her. Frisk still sometimes flinched whenever he raised his left hand when she wasn't expecting it, every time that happened filled them both with sorrow.

They also spoke about what happened before the madness happened, Sans and Papyrus past before their arrival in Snowdin, their father Gaster and what happened to him, how they ended up in Snowdin along with Frisk's past, what led her to having climbed the mountain to begin with, something that made Sans want to give certain humans a very bad time…well needless to say he became very protective over their human.

Many tears were shed that night, but hurt feelings and confusion had been cleared. The two grew to be as close as Sans and Papyrus was, Sans was overjoyed to have a little sister and best friend in Frisk. Someone who adored bad puns and jokes, who would just be there for him when nightmares returned for them both. She had even promised him no more Resets as everyone was free and happy she had no reason to go back to where she was before, she would never forget how he had hugged her and cried, free from everything. Frisk over the moon to have and older and elder brother, having been alone for her most of her life. Her past with the humans was best left forgotten and Sans was only too happy to help. Whenever she needed them, especially Sans who seemed to always be nearby when something happened, they were there. For a laugh, a shoulder to cry on, a sword and shield to protect her, the eternal pacifist.

Asgore and Toriel took it in stride when they came down to breakfast that morning to the two skeletons arguing over a pun that Sans had made ('That was a Sans-sational breakfast bro!) while Frisk was giggling like crazy and just asked if the two wanted separate rooms or the larger guest room.

Sighing once more, Frisk got up, closed the window and headed to go to bed for the night, hopefully she would get some actual dreamless sleep for once. For the past several weeks she had been having a series of strange dreams, it almost seemed like a story of some sort. It always left her exhausted waking up though as evidence by the dark circles under her eyes, sometimes many times throughout the night she would wake up, gasping for breath and eyes darting around searching for things that weren't there. The first few times she had just sat in her bed and waited to fall asleep. When that didn't work she had gone downstairs to see if something warm to drink would help. She met Sans awake at the table about a week after they first started and tried to explain the dreams to him, but she never quite remembered them waking up, only the feelings attached and phantom images.

Ever since that first night when she woke up from her strange nightmares he had made her promise to come to him if she couldn't fall back asleep. More than once the other residents of the house had gone to the skeleton's room only to find the two cuddled close, Frisk wrapped up in his arms like he was trying to shield her. They thought it adorable, not knowing the reason behind it. Papyrus took many pictures for blackmail though, the blushes on the two were worth the pranks in revenge.

Frisk just couldn't make sense of her dreams, but as she fell asleep she thought over them, the clearest she could in the span of when you are awake but just about to fall asleep and you can see your dreams clearly.

The dreams started out showing a large, beautiful tree. Half was bathed in sunlight filled with golden fruit, the other half in soft moonlight with dark fruit. From the tree came life spreading to the world and then two beings came forth from the tree itself. Frisk never got a good look at them, but could tell they weren't human. One was taller than the other by a few inches and wore dark clothing, the other wore bright. Frisk guessed they were either siblings or friends.

The dreams continued showing the two watching over and caring for the tree and spending time with each other, eventually showing other beings of the world coming to the two and their tree for the fruit it carried. The human watched as the beings always went to the lighter half of the tree with the shorter being guarding it getting the golden fruit. They never went to the darker half and the taller being. Frisk always felt sorry for them at this point, wishing to take away their sadness.

At this point the dreams skipped around a bit, showing the two beings fighting, something wrong with the darker one. They seemed in pain, clutching their chest and coughing, their form convulsing. Frisk saw the tree grow dark and seem to die, dripping something. They ended at this point and then looped themselves, over and over again.

In the waking world the child knew that others around the city suffered from nightmares as well, all similar in nature of some sort of dripping creature chasing them, taunting them. No one could make any sense of it and it wasn't only monsters suffering from the terrors but humans as well. Asgore and Toriel along with their council, the council being their closest friends, could not make any sense of it or what could be causing it. There was also sightings of some sort of creature roaming in the darkness, the mornings showed something around the city damaged or destroyed, but never any evidence as to how or why. Not even Sans could figure out what was causing everything, and that's what worried Frisk the most.

Glancing at the clock and seeing that it was just after three in the morning, Frisk closed her eyes, hoping to get some actual rest that night. She quickly fell asleep

 _'Well…this is new?'_ Frisk thought to herself, looking around. She knew she was dreaming, she recognized the area from the story her sleep had been giving her for weeks now. A large field barren of life stretched out before her, but she knew that if she turned around and followed the path beside her over a hill she would see the great tree from before.

The brown haired girl nearly fell over at a shock wave and yelling, something definitely different now. Out of nowhere two beings appeared, like Sans when he appears from teleporting, locked in combat. The first she saw a skeleton that looked remarkably like Sans which shocked her, but with noticeable differences. He was possibly an inch or so taller than Sans with a thin golden crown on his head, wearing a light blue short sleeve regal shirt with gold lines, tan boots, a light gold colored cape with a sun symbol on it and was wielding a staff with a star on each end expertly. His eyes, instead of white like her brother's, were gold pupils as well set in a glare at the one he was battling.

The other…well the shape was vaguely like Sans, but that was where the similarity ended. He was black, all black and dripping…goo? Tar? She wasn't sure what it was. He only had one eye, the other looked melted off, a cold blue set in a smirking face. Out of the back of his jacket were several long tentacles he used to fight the other that seemed to be able to change length and size. He wore longer shorts and a type of tennis shoe, again all black and dripping. He was taller than the other by several inches at least. And he seemed to be winning at the moment

"Just give it up Dream! You know you can't beat me!" The dark one yelled out, swiping at the other. His attack left large craters in the field, almost causing Frisk to fall at the force of it.

The lighter one, Dream, twirled his staff to block the attacks and send them outwards into the air. "Nightmare just stop this! This battle is pointless don't you get that yet? I'll never stop fighting brother!"

' _Huh…Nightmare Sans and Dream Sans?'_ Frisk thought, backing away as the fighting was getting closer. ' _Or just Nightmare and Dream…I've been seeing these two in my dreams. And wait, brother? Talk about family issues.'_ A giant tentacle smashed a little too close for comfort causing her to let out a soft shriek but it was enough to catch the attention of the two.

Dream's eyes widened in horror seeing the human, while Nightmare smirked darkly and prepared to go after her. "Run! Get away from here!' Dream yelled out at her, trying to hit Nightmare who just morphed and sped towards Frisk.

"Heh eh eh…a new playmate eh? Let's see what we can do with you." Nightmare said grinning still though his face morphed to look less like Sans and more like a well…nightmare.

'…id…Fr…..FRISK!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey's the next part everyone! I'm so glad you're liking it. And once more a huge thanks to GoldGuardian2418 for their help! Seriously go check out their stuff if you haven't.**

 _"Heh eh eh…a new playmate eh? Let's see what we can do with you." Nightmare said grinning still though his face morphed to look less like Sans and more like a well…nightmare._

 _'…id…Fr…..FRISK!"_

With a gasp the child sat up suddenly, eyes wide in terror and unable to catch her breath. She was shaking uncontrollably, clutching at something she couldn't see, eyes glazed over with tears still seeing that horrible face about to get to her.

"Shh…easy there baby bones…shh I got you…" Frisk heard in her ear. She could feel something clutching her just as tightly as what she was to the other. Blinking several times, she turned and saw who was holding her.

A shaken Sans, eyes wide and grin faded, met her gaze. He was so spooked that his left eye kept flickering in blue flame, his magic trying to activate against an unseen threat to himself and one he loved and protected "That was one heck of a scream baby bones…what's got you so rattled?' He held her closer, bone arms securing gently around his little sister in a hug.

Frisk gave a weak chuckle at the pun, burying her face in the other's shoulder, feeling his collar bone dig in slightly to her face but she did not care. The young human gave shuddering gasps, trying and failing to speak. It was always difficult for her to string words together on the best of days, never mind when she is half out of her mind with fear.

"Come here kiddo, I got you." Sans said, shifting his hold on her. He leaned against her headboard with Frisk in his lap still clutching him. Using his powers he made the blanket glow and then cover them both. She looked impossibly small curled up in his lap like that, his form seemed to dwarf hers as he held her closer, rubbing his hand up and down her back before moving to her hair, running his fingers through it though being careful not to snag it on his joints.

The skeleton was thankful he had wanted to go get something to drink at the early hour, he didn't want to know what would have happened if he hadn't been walking by as Frisk started to cry and scream, thrashing about in her bed. She even hit herself against the wall a few times before he got to her, he saw her HP was down to 12, she did some damage to herself. It wasn't anything like he had heard before, never heard her scream before, not even in the Underground, not even when he and Frisk, with Chara in control of her body, were fighting. It sounded strangled, like fear was clawing at her throat and she couldn't yell for help.

"Was it those dreams again?" He asked softly when he sensed his sister calm down. He felt Frisk take her hand and start to make symbols, he recognized them as Wing Dings, a language he and Papyrus had started to teach her a few months ago along with sign language. While she could talk, she hardly ever did, preferring to use the two hand languages they taught her or physical expressions. When she did talk, it was very soft and unsure, but it also felt like a great gift when she spoke to you. They had thought it fun to teach her a language not many others knew, a way to be closer, and easier to plan pranks. And in a way it was helpful to them both, to teach their sister the language their father taught them long ago. It was special to them to see it used again.

 **'Yes…no…new dream. Scared…attacked…couldn't get away.'** Sans read the other as they signed, a little choppy given their hand was shaken and they were only using one, but he got the gist of it.

"New parts of the old dream? And you were in it and got attacked." He repeated softly, holding her tighter. When Frisk had tried to describe the dreams before, she never could remember them to tell him what they were about. Only that it was part beautiful, part sad, and the rest terrifying. He felt Frisk start to shake again and moved to hold him with both hands once more.

"Aww baby bones, I'm here, I won't leave you alone tonight ok?" He whispered soothingly, bushing his grin against her forehead with a spark of magic, a skeleton's kiss. "We'll figure this out kiddo."

Frisk didn't say anything else, only continued to cuddle against her favorite (don't tell Papyrus) skeleton. Sans settled further back, levitating a few pillows for them. He ended up on his side in a sea of pillows, his favorite human curled up against his rib cage in his arms. She fell asleep to the soothing sound of his soul humming, know that as long as she was in her big brother's arms she was safe.

 _Several days later._

Several days had gone by and by the end of the week Frisk was exhausted. Every time she slept she kept seeing the same fight continue. The field where she had first appeared was a battle zone of large craters, scattered goop piles and spears or arrows of light fading slowly away. She kept seeing flashes of light and sounds of battle whenever she closed her eyes for a second, Frisk was afraid to sleep and it showed.

The poor child had dark circles under her eyes, she was listless and worn and it worried her family greatly. Frisk hadn't told them, only Sans what she could, about her nightmares, but they knew that she had them and they all did what they could to help her. Sans though did the most. He stayed up with her when she was too scared to sleep, he held her when she finally did and woke her before the screaming could start. He was almost always by her side now trying to help her. He would ask her about the dreams and what she could remember but it was always the same, just that the battle was going on and getting closer.

Five days later though Sans wasn't able to stay by her side when she fell asleep, having to go to a meeting with the others. Uneasy but exhausted, Frisk couldn't keep her eyes open anymore and fell asleep.

And she promptly screamed when the dream appeared. Nightmare was waiting for her.

"Heh heh…was wondering if you would ever show up human.' He said smirking at her. His tentacles whipped out and grabbed her, squeezing the air out of her as he pulled her close. Frisk was terrified, not even able to squeak in fear when he brought her closer to examine her, turning her left and right. "So…you're Frisk eh? Savior of Monsters? Angel of the Underground?" Even as scared as she was, she frowned at him. She hated those titles dang it! "Got some spunk in you? Gotta say, I admire that." He grinned for a second but then frowned. "Then again, I can't stand what you've done. Helping others, making happiness, peace, friends? Blegh!" He spat out a glob of tar and glared at her. "Not my style human, get it? Ever since you gave them all hope back, their nightmares and fears have started to fade away. Been doing what I could to get it back, love the rush terror gives me, the power, but with you in the way…"

Frisk gulped at the look the other gave her, she started shaking. She wanted to talk to the other, to try to get him to stop and let her go, but she couldn't get any sound to come out because of fear and the fact that he hadn't let her go yet.

"Now though…you're here. And that got me thinking, if you can get here, in Dreamtale." He scoffed at the name. "Then I can get out, and I can cause some REAL nightmares for those in your world." His face morphed again to look more monsterish, less Sans-like. "And if I take you and kill you in front of them…well I'm thinking that will give me the ultimate power rush from your family."

At the threat to her friends and family, Frisk glared at him definitely. She shook her head and mouthed out ' _You will never touch them!'_

Nightmare laughed, "What, you're Determined to stop me? And how are you going to do that human? You can't even get away. There's no one here to save you this time." He started squeezing her again.

"Wrong Nightmare, she has me!"

Light arrows shot through the tentacles holding Frisk, causing Nightmare to let out a screech of pain and anger. They both turned to where the arrows came from and saw Dream with his bow out aiming another arrow.

"Run Frisk! I'll hold him off, get out of here!"

Without waiting to be told twice the human took off running away as the fight between the two started up once again. More than once Frisk had to dodge a wayward goop of tar or light attack.

"Why do you always get in my way!" Nightmare yelled out dodging attacks. "You never change do you Dream?! Always trying to stop me! Just leave me alone!" He sent out a rapid fire of tentacles.

"Because what you are doing is wrong brother!" Dream yelled back dodging like a pro. "You turned your back on me, on our mother, our duties! You caused her to die because you couldn't accept what you are!"

"WHAT I AM IS WHAT YOU MADE OF ME!" Frisk had to cover her ears at that the scream was so loud. "You were never there! You always soaked up the love from others, you never shared any with me! They never tried mine they always went to your apples! They always went to you, you never told them to come to me!"

Dream's attack faltered at that before he glared again, "You let your jealousy consume you Nightmare I had nothing to do with that!" He fired his arrows again. "I had nothing to do with the fact that they went to my apples more than yours-"

"THEY NEVER EVEN TRIED MINE! I was a Guardian too! Why did they always avoid me and my apples but flocked to you and yours!" Nightmare screamed out, managing to hit his brother, smacking him into a large boulder. Dream crashed with a groan before having to roll sideways to dodge the next attacks. "Just because you protected positive emotions and I negative they never came to my side, they avoided me! You never listened to me when I asked to take over, even just once, for you! I could have done it! They would have seen then that I was good enough too!"

"IT DOESN'T WORK LIKE THAT AND YOU KNOW IT! YOU POISONED MOTHER AND KILLED HER!" Dream finally screamed back, getting back up and attacking, his arrows piercing his brother who shrieked in rage. "You touched my apples and tainted them and her! Look what you've done to yourself because you wouldn't accept what you were charged to guard!"

Frisk's heart broke hearing what they were yelling at each other. They both felt hurt, saddened and betrayed by the other. But what were they talking about, apples? The ones from her dream? The brown-haired human recalled that there was a giant tree and it had apples, and that everyone always went to the light side of the tree with the golden apples and shunned the dark half. But she couldn't figure out why, surely they weren't any worse than the golden ones?

Determined now to find out the truth of the matter, Frisk let the two be for now, continuing their fight. She followed the path that she knew led to the tree, the sounds of battle growing a little fainter, she couldn't hear words anymore but she could still hear the explosions.


	3. Chapter 3

_Determined now to find out the truth of the matter, Frisk let the two be for now, continuing their fight. She followed the path that she knew led to the tree, the sounds of battle growing a little fainter, she couldn't hear words anymore but she could still hear the explosions._

The tree was just as large as in her dream, but it was in a very bad state. The bark was pitch black and rotted looking, tainted by whatever it was that Nightmare was made of. She brushed her hand against it, feeling a faint shudder through her. Frisk felt sadness, pain, greed, envy and betrayal in her heart and felt even sadder for what happened to what had been a beautiful tree and to the brothers themselves, especially Nightmare. It sounded like something had infected him in a way and spread to the tree, their mother?

Frisk looked up into the branches of the tree on the slightly darker half and saw several apples on them. The branches were leafless, the apples blacker than the bark of the tree and dripping tar just like Nightmare was. She managed to find some footholds in the tree and climbed up to the thicker base branches to where she could sit, distractedly she could still hear the fight going on and coming steadily closer. Finally finding a large enough branch for her to sit on, Frisk got comfy against the trunk of the tree and glances up, seeing a dripping apple close by her. Cocking her head at it Frisk picked it, feeling the tar cover her hands like sludge. Other than that, it looked just like a normal apple, well a black apple. Shrugging at herself and feeling Determination fill her to find out the truth, she bit into the apple.

While the texture was very weird because of the tar, she equated it to the first time Papyrus tried to make caramel apples; he had drowned them in the sticky substance and turned the apples to mush. This though tasted nothing like that, she could almost taste the taints of the tar that poisoned it and the tree, the pain inside of it, but below that she could taste something else, something that was a lot nicer and filled her again with Determination that there was more to them than just appearance.

 _'Tastes like apples…and dark chocolate?'_ Frisk mused to herself, staring at the apple after taking a bite. She continued to eat it, still feeling the taint, but the faint taste of the apple kept it at bay. Before she knew it, Frisk finished the apple. _'That wasn't that bad at all, different but good. I wonder if they all taste like that?'_ She thought staring up at another apple close by, her stomach rumbled. Giggling at herself, she picked that apple and started to eat. _'Yup, still the same. The goop isn't that bad when you don't think about it.'_ She was enjoying herself, not even noticing the fighting at quieted.

Inches from his face were several tentacles that had been ready to pierce through Dream, ending his life, frozen in mid-attack. Above him Nightmare was almost like a statue, the only thing that gave him away was his eye moving he was so still. As one the brothers turned their heads towards the tree, having sensed what was happening. Someone was in the tree, someone was eating apples from the deadened Tree of Life.

They watched, shocked, as Frisk ate one of the tainted apples without a care in the world, eating all of it and going for another. Nightmare even more so than his younger brother, for no one had ever, EVER, eaten from his side of the tree before. Eaten one of his apples in his entire existence.

"How..is she not..the taint should have killed her?" Dream muttered in awe unable to make a full sentence, watching as Frisk ate another apple. His golden eyes were wide as he lay on the ground, not even noticing the tentacles anymore or the fight.

"I don't know…" Nightmare murmured softly, slowly retreating his tentacles into his back away from Dream. The negative emotions poisoning the apple should have drained Frisk to a husk of herself, yet she was giggling to the apples as she wiped her hand from the new apple before biting into it, not even wiping the tar off. They slowly stood up from their attack positions, just staring at the human.

Frisk sensed someone watching her and paused in finishing her current apple. She blinked when she saw that the fighting had stopped without her realizing it, Nightmare and Dream watching her, both of them with eyes wide and jaws dropped. If it wasn't for their stark different appearance they would have been twins. Before she could do or say anything, she felt herself jolt from her sitting position.

With a gasp Frisk sat up, nearly flinging herself from her bed. Heart pounding she looked around her room in shock. She remembered her dream, everything this time. That had never happened before. In haste she tried to get out from her bed, absently noting that she was still fully dressed in her normal clothing of her purple and blue sweater, shorts with tights under them and socks. She must have been more tired than she thought if she had forgotten to change into something comfier.

Shrugging she hurriedly pulled on her brown shoes before racing out of her room, turning on lights in the dark hallway. She didn't care if she was making too much noise, she had to find Sans and tell him what she remembered.

But she couldn't find him.

His room was empty and disorganized like normal, but missing a certain sleeping skeleton. Frisk ran from his door to Papyrus' room only to find him missing as well. Frantic now, she tried her parents' room, empty as well.

The pacifist ran down the stairs only to find the rest of the house empty as well. Lights off and no note, but papers strewn everywhere like something had happened and they left in a hurry.

Scared now Frisk ran to the front door, seeing it hanging open, the night sky stretching over the surrounding homes, though something was wrong. On the other side of Undyne's house she could see flashes of light, fire and noise. Something was going on, fighting was happening and she had no clue why. She was about to run to where she was seeing it when something hit her in the back of the head and Frisk knew no more.

' _Ugh…what hit me…._ ' Frisk thought to herself, sitting up with a pained groan. She held her hand to her head, feeling a large bump start to form. Rubbing at it she opened her eyes and glanced around only to gasp in shock

She was back in Dreamtale.

Frisk tensed when she felt someone watching her, glancing around she noticed she was leaning against the black Tree of Life on the ground, and up above her…

"You know little star, I am sorry about that. Looks like it had to hurt, but no other way to get you here I'm afraid."

Nightmare was above her in one of the lower branches, leaning back like he didn't have a care in the world. One arm rested on a raised knee, the other swung lazily down below as he looked down at her with his blue eye calculatingly.


	4. Chapter 4

_Nightmare was above her in one of the lower branches, leaning back like he didn't have a care in the world. One arm rested on a raised knee, the other swung lazily down below as he looked down at her with his blue eye calculatingly._

He must have seen her confusion and shock because he snickered. "Relax little star, not hear to cause trouble…yet. I just wanted to talk." He shrugged. "Good thing about dreaming, hours can pass by in a flash here while the other world, your world, mere minutes or days could pass by. Depends I guess, never understood it myself." He glanced back down at her, seeing her opening her mouth repeatedly to talk but no sound coming out. "I do know Wing Dings by the way, both me and Dream do. We knew Gaster, or a Gaster, years ago."

* **That makes this easier then*** Frisk signed to him, not asking about the 'or a Gaster' bit. She figured that would just raise a headache she did not want to deal with right now. Nor about the nickname she was just given, everyone liked to call her different things, and this one wasn't so bad, she kinda liked it. * **So…why did you bring me here? You said you wanted to talk?*** Frisk liked using Wing Dings more than ASL. It was fun to use Wing Dings though she could almost see the funny symbols that appeared whenever she 'spoke' in it.

"You're…interesting little star." Nightmare said after a few minutes of just watching her. "You've had a bad time in your early life, believe me I know. Seen your nightmares, some things in those not even I approve of, and I'm a living nightmare myself. Spreading and causing hatred and misery is kind of my thing." He shrugged as if it didn't matter.

Frisk frowned at him when she heard him say that, she heard the underlying tones of sadness he probably didn't even notice he had. * **I don't think you cause it bad things Nightmare…I think there's more to you than that. Besides, if you did do that, then wouldn't I be feeling that right now?***

The goop Sans look-alike stared at her before snickering, "Got a point little star…guess you're just weird like that. Even before…this" He gestured to himself. "No one would ever come near me most of the time. Preferred my brother after all, he was always the center of attention, smiling and happy with his golden apples. Everyone loved him, not hard to see why." Nightmare scoffed with a frown, eye far away in memories.

He leaned back against the tree and stared upwards for a moment, then glared back down. "Why did you do it human? You ate one of my apples." Nightmare reaches up and picks an apple, its tar mixing with his own from his hand as he looked at it, turning it one way then another. "Disgusting isn't it? Liquid poison in a vague apple shape. Dark, no light from them, like a smog filled night. All they do is cause misery and pain. Dream's apples? The ones he protected eons ago, those were bright, pure and golden, like sunlight. Delicious apparently from what I heard from others." Nightmare tossed the apple carelessly over to the ground, Frisk could see sadness in his eye at that and her heart broke a little. "Why would anyone even touch mine when they had my brother's apples to choose? Why would they come and speak with me when Dream was right there, spreading goodness and light while all I did was cause darkness and pain, a shadow to his light? I was only…doesn't matter now."

He was surprised when Frisk caught the apple, the tar covering her hand as she held it close. She placed it in her lap as she looks back up at Nightmare so she could sign to him. * **I think they're perfect how they are, because they're different. There's nothing wrong with them, just like there's nothing wrong with you.** *

Not being one to talk a lot, something Frisk did a lot was listen and watch. She had gotten very good at reading and hearing what others weren't saying, the hidden messages not even they knew they were talking about. She could see what Nightmare was truly saying, even if he didn't believe it right now.

Beyond the darkness and anger he showed to the world…he was sad and in pain himself. And Frisk being Frisk, well she was Determined to fix that.

Nightmare watched, fascinated and shocked, as the human child defended him and his apples. No one had ever done that before, bar Dream….so very long ago. He vaguely remembered his brother hugging him when he was devastated again and again when beings refused to even speak with him for the longest time, remembered him saying that his time would come and the he would always be there for him…He shook his head out of those ancient memories.

"I think…they're unique and special...like you are." Frisk said softly, staring at the apple in her hands. She heard and felt Nightmare descend from the tree slowly, moving to sit by her stiffly at first. Both of them were unaware of a certain skeleton on the other side of the tree, watching and listening with tears in his eyes, at what was happening to the human and his brother.

Nightmare was silent as he listened to the soft voice of Frisk, he thought she had a very melodic voice. A sentiment unknowingly echoed by his younger brother.

"You and Dream…are like dark and light…night and day. Very different, but both needs the other for balance." Frisk said, a little faltering in her words. She really did not like to talk but felt that spoken words were more important right now and continued for him. "You can't have one without the other…There isn't anything wrong with darkness, or light. They're both beautiful to me. You and D-Dream are like that… Daytime to play and spend with others, nighttime for reflection, peace and…stars." She glanced up at the night sky, Nightmare following her gaze. Above them was a sea of stars in a cloudy sky, eerie but peaceful. He turned his gaze back to her while Frisk was staring at the apple in her hands, still leaking tar onto her.

"There isn't anything w-wrong with your apples Nightmare. Sure, they're dark and a little goopy…but they remind me of a cloudy, moonless night. I like those…types of nights too…good for cuddling with my brothers." Frisk leaned a little against Nightmare, to her delight he didn't push her away still mesmerized by her talking. "Besides, I think they t-taste good. Like dark chocolate and apples mixed together w-with something...I can't quite name. The goop just adds to their uniqueness." Frisk finished with a grin, smiling at Nightmare.

The dark Sans was shocked, no one had ever described his apples before, or described him like what Frisk did. No one ever smiled at him like that…no one other than Dream long ago. For the first time in a very long time…Nightmare felt something other than pain, jealousy or anger.

He felt sorrow for what happened…he felt peace from Frisk's words and tone…he felt happiness…he wished Dream was there to share this with him. With a start, Nightmare realized what he had just thought…he missed his brother.

Dream placed a hand over his heart, his soul. He felt the faint ping from his brother and gasped softly, golden tears falling faster now. He hadn't felt anything from Nightmare's side of the bond in so long he had forgotten how it felt. He felt faintly his brother's awe and happiness at Frisk's words and desire to share that unconsciously with him. He stepped closer to them, wanting to be closer to his big brother again.

Frisk just smiled at Nightmare, seeing the emotions flash in his eye as he stared at her, jaw slightly slacked in shock, eye wide and rapt on her. Her stomach grumbled a little though so she went to take a bite of the apple in her hand. The other's hand though covering it stops her. Confused she turned back to the dark skeleton, a question in her eyes.

Nightmare gently took the apple from her hands. He was surprised though, as was Frisk and Dream behind the tree, when they notice that his hand wasn't dripping tar anymore. It looked more like a solid black skeletal hand. "Here…don't eat it like that. I want you to truly taste my apple." Nightmare said softly, giving a little smile at her.

He went to wipe off the apple but started a little when the goo started to evaporate at his touch, his unconscious wish for the apple to be how it once was. They watched as the true apple shone through. It held the solid shape of an apple now and shone with a dark purple-black light with flecks that looked like stars on it. It looked beautiful. Smiling bigger, Nightmare handed Frisk the apple who eagerly took a bite out of it.

The human hummed, happy to truly taste the apple for the first time. The weird texture from the goop was gone, the faint taste of pain and misery was as well. The taste now reminded her of darkness, peace and something she couldn't quite put a name too, along with the familiar taste of dark chocolate and apples. * **It tastes even better now that I don't have to wipe off my hands.** * Frisk laughs, finishing it quickly and leaning even more into Nightmare who cautiously put an arm around her, smiling softly at the human. Frisk looked up at him and gave what Alphys dubbed Chibi Eyes. ***May I have another?***

Nightmare blinked and started to snicker, "Little star those eyes of yours could be considered lethal weapons, you don't have to do that." He started to cry though at the end of his teasing words, hugging Frisk to his side. Faint purple/blue tears fell down his left cheek. This special human…liked his apple and wanted more! He felt so bad now for before for how he treated and scared her. Holding her close again he nodded and was about to use his tentacles to reach for more apples higher up in the tree.

Only to find his tentacles weren't there.

Gasping in shock Nightmare sat up and kept whipping his head back and forth to look over his shoulders. The tentacles, which had been there ever since his transformation, a part of the taint that corrupted him, were gone. He couldn't feel them anymore, couldn't manifest them. He was a little scared of the sudden change.

Before he could say or do anything though, a warm voice came out from beside them. "Here brother, allow me."


	5. Chapter 5

_Before he could say or do anything though, a warm voice came out from beside them. "Here brother, allow me."_

Both monster and human whipped their heads around to the right side of the tree. Coming out, smiling with tears running down his face, was Dream. His eyes were glowing a soft gold and several of Nightmare's apples were descending slowly towards them.

"Dream…brother…I." Nightmare stuttered out, unable to make a sentence. He watched as his younger twin sat down beside Frisk, never once losing that soft smile he wore. It had been a very long time since he had seen that look directed at him.

"Nightmare, I've missed you too." Dream said softly, reaching over Frisk with his hand, holding it out to Nightmare. The elder smiled and gingerly placed his hand in the other's, interlocking their fingers. Dream gave them a squeeze before curling his other arm over his brother's around Frisk, cocooning the human between them.

The dark skeleton smiled at Dream, nodding softly before glancing at the apples. He freed his hand momentarily from Dream's to touch each apple before returning it. The three watched fascinated as the poison taint evaporated into little particles from the apples, showing their true forms underneath. Frisk gives a happy yet soft giggle as she reaches upwards to grab one of the floating fruit and begins to eat it.

"Thank you brother…" Nightmare said, watching Frisk eat the fruit happily. He turned his gaze to his brother. Dream had been watching him the whole time, seeing the minute changes in the other. His form wasn't as droopy anymore with goop, the tentacles were gone. Dream could even see faint hints of purple in his lone eye.

He could see faint hints of his brother again, how he used to be.

"You're welcome Nightmare, I'm sorry it took so long for someone to pick your apples." Dream said, shifting to be more comfortable. He took on a sad look right then, lowering his gaze from his brother's. "You were right…you always were back then. I never tried to help you, never even gave it thought…what kind of brother am I to not even notice the pain you were in? I'm so sorry Nightmare…I'm so very sorry."

The dark skeleton shook his head, reaching over to lift the other's chin up so he could look into his eyes. It had been a long time for Dream to see that look in Nightmare's eye, the look of a concerned elder brother. "Brother, you couldn't have known my pain like that. You are a being a light and happiness…such a thing was foreign to you. It's my fault it got out of hand like that, I couldn't control my jealousy and hurt, I see that now…I was jealous of you, how everyone flocked to you it seemed like, you and your golden apples." Nightmare dropped his hand, looking down at it in sorrow. "I should have gone to you at first, you're my twin. If I couldn't talk to you then who could I? If I had gone to you at the beginning, just told you how I was feeling this would have never had happened. I paid for that mistake…look at me, I'm just-"

"You're my brother. That's all that matters to me." Dream said sternly, taking his hand once more. Nightmare glanced back up, surprised to see such a serious look on the other's face outside of battle. "You're my big brother, my twin, the other half of my soul. I don't care what you look like on the outside, you're you, and that's what matters to me." Dream smiled. "We'll figure out everything together, like we should have so long ago. And this time, I'll be there for you, every step of the way."

Nightmare was shocked into silence, seeing the conviction in the younger's eyes. He glanced down to Frisk, who had finished the apples while they were conversing quietly, and she gave him the same look.

* **You're not alone anymore Nightmare. You don't have to be alone. You have Dream, and me!*** She said happily, cuddling into the two some more. * **Brother's sometimes fight, I see Sans and Papyrus do it sometimes. But they always make up, because they know while they'll never see eye socket to eye socket all the time, they respect and love each other too much to let that get in the way of their bond.***

"Heh…where were you years ago little star?" Nightmare said, messing with her hair making her giggle. He shared a grin with Dream. "We could have used your wisdom back then right brother?"

"Better late than never brother…I'm glad you're with me again." Dream said, hugging Nightmare over Frisk.

"…I'm glad too Dream." Nightmare said, slightly muffled. "And here is where I will stay."

Frisk giggled softly between the two, only to wiggle free when she saw something bright above her. She awed when she saw the tree shift and change.

The blackness that covered the bark faded away slowly at first then fading faster to reveal a rich brown. The branches that were bare and dripping suddenly blossomed with leaves like the middle of summer, though it had a very noticeable change. One half of the tree was bathed in light like a sunset, making the leaves glow gold and green. The other half was in moonlight, the leaves a soft blue-green color.

The Tree of Life had been reborn with the reunion of her Guardians, her sons.

The brothers finally part again, soft smiles echoed on each others faces before they glanced up and saw what had happened to the Tree.

"It's so pretty…" Frisk's soft voice, like a wisp of wind, reached them and they smiled down at her.

"We're glad you get to see our mother in her glory Frisk…I'm sorry you had to see her in such as state as before. But I think I know how to make it up to you." Nightmare said, smiling softly. Frisk held in a small gasp when she saw his eyes, both of his eyes. The half of his skull that had been partially melted was healed now, and instead of the cold blue as before they were a soft purple. The dark skeleton's eyes glowed with a hint of purple fire and several golden apples and purple apples floated down. They danced in the air like little suns and stars for Frisk making her laugh again.

She paused though when a few golden apples floated down closer to her, Dream watched curiously.

"I've never tried them before, but I heard my brother's apples are pretty good too. Please…try one?" Nightmare said softly, lowering one to her.

Frisk glanced at the two and saw their encouraging nods before smiling again and taking the golden apple out of the air and biting down into it. She hummed at the taste, it reminded her of light and happiness and something, like the dark apples, she couldn't put a name to.

 ** _*_ It tastes like apples and…white chocolate. The others taste like apples and dark chocolate*** She signed to them both after finishing the apple. She grinned at them. * **Unique and yet similar, and I love both! May I have more?***

The brothers laughed at her antics, she once again used her Chibi Eyes. "Little star, have as many apples as you wish, they're all for you." Dream said laughing at the child, picking up the nickname for her from his brother. She gave an 'eep' of joy before going for more apples again, making the brothers laugh louder and happily.

Nightmare was overjoyed right then and there, his apples were back as were his brothers, his mother was healed, and he had a new friend and his brother by his side. He felt Dream prod lightly at their bond, curiously and cautiously. The elder remembered when the younger would try to do this after he had first transformed…Nightmare had lashed out harshly at the other through the bond, injuring his soul. Though not without backlash against his own, which was why he never tried to sever the bond, only mute and shut it out.

Now though, he opened his half fully to his brother, welcoming him in. Dream was ecstatic and reached out once more, filling his twin with his joy, happiness and love, while Nightmare sent his peace, love, sorrow and regret. Dream soothed it with forgiveness, a balm to the other.

Nightmare sighed and relaxed more against Frisk, who was now humming thoughtfully as she stared at the last two apples, a bright gold and a glowing purple. "What's wrong little star? Are you full? We could always save those for you later." Nightmare said concerned.

He and Dream shared a brief alarming thought over their bond…no one had ever before eaten one of Nightmare's apples, tainted or pure, nor had anyone eaten as many as Frisk had of both. They now worried if such a thing was dangerous for the human….little late on their parts. Whoops.

* **I wish to try something…*** Frisk started thoughtfully. She placed the apples in her lap before holding out her hand, concentrating. Before they could ask what she was up to, a tiny blip of light appeared before solidifying into a little cutting knife. Handy in the realm of dreams, dream hard enough and it'll come true. Grinning in success she let out a soft 'ah ha!' before getting to work.

Dream and Nightmare watched curiously as the child started to cut up each apple in turn into slices. When she was done she then held out a slice of golden apple to Nightmare and a slice of dark to Dream. "You said you never t-tried them because you can't touch them, but can I help?" She said, tilting her head to the side as she gazed at them.

Surprised the brothers blinked in tandem before opening their mouths, allowing Frisk to feed them.

Dream hummed thoughtfully, tasting his brother's apple for the first time…it reminded him of times in the field when they were children under the stars…of the quiet darkness of the night sky. He could even taste what Frisk could of the dark chocolate taste. He felt peace fill him, like the calm of a quiet night.

Nightmare was nervous and almost scared, remembering what happened last time he tried to eat one of Dream's apples. He braced himself for anything…but nearly gasped when he tasted the white chocolate Frisk described before…along with what reminded him of sunlight and bright blue skies filled with laughter with his brother. He felt the warmth of a sunny day filled with laughter.

Both brothers opened their eye sockets in shock, not realizing they closed them. Tears ran down their faces in rivers of gold and purple. They saw the other's eye lights flash the brother's soul color. Dream's golden orbs flashed a rich purple, while Nightmare's gleamed bright auric for a second.

Frisk smiled at them, giggling, before offering them another slice of the apple. They didn't have to be told twice.

The remaining slices were eaten in silence, each brother feeling more about the realm the other guarded and represented for the first time. Frisk watched as their souls continued to flash whenever they ate the slice, she could see their eye lights flash softly each time as well.

"Frisk…thank you for that gift." Dream said softly, hugging her close. He was overwhelmed at the moment. Nightmare couldn't say anything at first, just gathered the two smaller into his arms and hugged them tight. His grip tightened abruptly though before he let them go, clutching at his chest.

"Nightare?!" "Brother!"

Frisk and Dream watched scared as Nightmare seemed to double on himself, clutching at his chest where his soul was. He nearly fell over when he started to cough and hack painfully.

"What's…going on…it hurts…" He gasped out, eyes shut tight in a grimace before he forced them open. He saw Frisk, pale and shaking and Dream, eyes tiny white pinpricks as he reached over for him.

"Brother what's wrong?!"

"I don't know..it hurts so badly brother.." Nightmare whimpered out weakly, one eye shut tightly in pain, the other glazed over at his brother.

Before anything else could be done however Frisk let out a scream. Nightmare and Dream whip their heads over to the human to see her being pulled into a black portal by something wrapping around her. She was frantic, trying to get away, reaching for them.

Ignoring his pain and trying to get to his feet Nightmare stumbled, reaching out to her. Dream raced to her but was too late, the portal closed before he could grab her.

"Nightmare! Dream! Help please!"

"Frisk!" "Little star…ARGGHH!"


	6. Chapter 6

_"Nightmare! Dream! Help please!"_

 _"Frisk!" "Little star…ARGGHH!"_

Frisk screamed when her eyes opened feeling herself being restrained. She struggled against the things that were grabbing onto her, they looked like Nightmare's tentacles, dripping even worse than before. She managed to wriggle free and jump over them, her time in the Underground dodging attacks still having carried over even a year later.

All around her was the same tar from before, covering everything and moving at a rapid pace like it was trying to swallow it all. Frantic with fear and worry the pacifist, jumps, dodges, ducks and rolls over it, trying to get away. She ran as fast as she could, seeing the goop everywhere. Frisk ran to where she still heard the sounds of fighting from before, she absently wondered how long she had been gone.

She freezes in shock when she rounds the corner of Undyne's house to the training field behind it. A large, and frankly gross looking, monster resembling a blob with mass amounts of tentacles and black teeth waving about was there. All around she could see signs of her family's fight, fires, holes from bombs and Gaster Blaster blasts and bones. Many of them were panting on the ground exhausted; only the skeleton brothers were still fighting.

"Frisk?! Kid run! Get out of here!" Sans yells out at her when he sees her. His blue/yellow eye shrinks in fear; he had thought she was still safe at the house, no where near where this thing was.

Everyone screamed in fear when the thing grabbed Sans when he was distracted and threw him away across the field.

'BROTHER! NO!" Papyrus yelled out, trying to get to him to catch the older skeleton. He was stopped though when the monster turned its attention on him and he was forced to defend himself.

"Sans!" Frisk yelled out before narrowing her eyes, Determination to save her big brother filled her as she raced across the field faster than normal. She jumped up right before the skeleton would have hit a tree, for sure draining his 1 HP. Frisk grunted when he slammed into her and both of them into the tree, but sighed when she checked him and he was fine. Her HP though was down to 7, that attack hurt!

"Kid…Frisk you ok? Please say something!" Sans said as soon as they landed. He whipped around to check her, noticing the bruises already forming. He hugged her quickly. "Don't do that again…scared me out of my skin…and I don't have any!"

Frisk couldn't even reply when she and Sans were both wrapped up in goopy tentacles, their family screaming in fear.

"Sans…what.." Frisk tried to get out but couldn't, her throat was clogging up with fear.

"This thing…it's what's been making people have those nightmares..." Sans grunted out, his eye flickering in and out. He was exhausted and now scared for Frisk. "Been destroying the city and everything. It attacked the house earlier, we tried to get it away from you and stop it for hours, but it's just too strong. Nothing we have can hurt it, we have no idea what this thing is kid."

The monster though, having made up its mind about something, tossed Sans once again, this time nearer his brother who caught him. However, it seemed to think Frisk was a snack and brought her closer to its body. It opened wide and looked like a bottomless hole lined with blackened teeth, seeming to smirk at her maliciously.

Frisk was shaking uncontrollably. She wriggled and squirmed, trying to free herself but it was no use. Looking around she saw the others trying to get to her to save her, but they had been fighting for hours from what she gathered from Sans, they were too weak and had no magic left.

"Frisk!" "My child!" "HUMAN!" "Darling!" "Punk!" "Kid!"

The last thing she would hear would be her family yelling for her, screaming, and the gurgling sounds the creature was making. She closed her eyes to meet her fate. Right before she is devoured something shot at the monster in beams of light while something else cut the tentacle holding her and caught her, making her give out an 'omph' sound at the treatment. Someone was holding her close, she could feel their bones through their clothing.

Bones?

Frisk opened her eyes finally to a skeleton she had never seen before. He was taller than Sans by a good few inches, had a golden circlet with a crescent moon on his head. His clothing looked similar to Dream's but his were long sleeved and royal purple with gold instead of short-sleeved with light blue. The skeleton held her close as he jumped, dodged and weaved through the waves of tentacles before finally coming to a stop. He glared at the creature before looking down at Frisk and smiled, purple eyes shining in relief. Purple eyes that she recognized.

"Man little star…cutting it a bit close there aren't you?"

Frisk's eyes widened. "N..Nightmare?" She gasped out softly.

"In the flesh…er so to speak. And not a nightmare anymore little star…my name is Night." He said softly, hugging her close for a moment. He and his brother had almost been too late. "This is what I truly look like. And it's thanks to you that I'm back."

Night placed Frisk down and shielded her with his body. He glared at the creature before drawing his dual swords again out of starlight. In a flash of light Dream appeared, twirling his bow back into a staff tipped with gold stars. He had been shooting at the creature to buy them time, deforming it into a puddle, but it was quickly forming up again.

They pause when they feel a tug on their shirts, Frisk holding on tightly and looking at them with a question in her eyes. Both of them blink at her and then grin. "You're wondering how we're here aren't you?" Dream asks, holding his staff out and ready. "It's actually thanks to you Frisk."

Night nodded, "We were able to follow our bond with you out of Dreamtale, you strengthened it by eating both of our apples, and you helped us by feeding us each others. It's actually how I'm back to normal like this."

Purple eye lights faded a bit as he remembered what happened.

 _Just after Frisk was taken_

 _'No…Frisk please…ah…this pain...it's just like before when I…'_ Nightmare's broken thoughts filtered over to his brother, clutching his soul in pain while continuously coughing. Dream was shaken, trying to help his brother while also wanting to go after Frisk. Whatever had taken her felt too much like how Nightmare did when he was first corrupted.

"Gah..ungg …ugh.." Nightmare's groans intensified, purple tears falling as he coughed. He felt something bubbling inside of him, it burned, it hurt…he had to get it out.

Dream watched as his brother coughed up…sludge? He wasn't sure what it was but he was positive it was what was causing his twin so much pain. "I'm here brother, I'm not leaving you…let it out. Please be ok…" He murmured, trying to help the other how he could. He held him loosely and helped him move when he started coughing up more sludge so he wouldn't be lying in it.

Eventually Nightmare stopped hacking, a large blob of black sludge and slime came out of his jaws with a shudder before evaporating. He collapsed against his younger twin, exhausted from the ordeal, pained tremors running through him. Nightmare glanced up with one eye cracked at his brother, holding out a shaking hand. Dream grasped it immediately, moving to hold his forehead against Nightmare's giving a soft 'clonk'.

"You're here...thank you brother." He said faintly, glancing up from his resting spot on Dream's chest.

Dream smiled, relieved that the other was ok, "I'll never leave again brother."

Their attention shifted when they saw the Tree of Life start to glow even brighter than before, their forms swallowed with light.

 _Back in the real world_

"When the light died down, I was back to normal again." Night finished with a smirk. "Back and better than ever. Dream's apples can heal better than mine, and when you fed me it, it helped speed up the process of getting rid of what corrupted me." He turned to the monster and glared. "That thing…it's what tainted me in the first place, I can feel it." Night and Dream stood side by side, Frisk could feel their power and magic roll off of them. She could see darkness and light melding together in the brothers, nothing would stand in their way.

"Ready when you are brother."

"Thought you would never ask."

Both of them smirked before the dark guardian tossed a satchel to Frisk. "Take those to your family little star, my brother's are better suited for quicker healing, and we're going to need some help."

Dream added, "We'll buy you some time Frisk. Besides, it'll be a blast to fight beside my brother again instead of against."

Not needing to be told twice, Frisk took the satchel and sprinted away while the brothers leapt into action. Thankfully her family had managed to huddle closer together so she was able to feed them quicker. As she gave everyone an apple she turned to look to see how the brothers were doing, feeling her jaw drop in awe.

They moved as one despite there being two, perfect sync and power. Where Dream was Night wasn't far behind. Their attacks blended together, halting the monster's movements and frying bits of it off with blasts of light and shining darkness combined.

"My child…who are they?" Toriel asked, standing up thanks to Asgore. All the monsters felt their power and magic return thanks to the delicious apples their human gave them.

"And why in the name of the Underground do they look like Sans?" Undyne said, watching the two warriors. "They're in a whole other league…"

Sans was speechless standing beside his brother watching his doppelgangers take on the creature. He turned confused eye lights to Frisk who was smiling at him.

* **They're my new friends, Night and his younger brother Dream. They're the ones I've been dreaming about Sans.*** Frisk signed to him, causing the skeleton to jerk in surprise.

"Those nightmares you've been having is about them?" Nod. "Kiddo…we're going to have to talk later about this."

"LESS TALKING MORE FIGHTING BROTHER! YOU COULD TAKE A HINT FROM YOUR CLONES, AT LEAST THEY DON'T SEEM TO BE LAZY BONES! MAYBE THEY AREN'T YOUR CLONES AFTER ALL."

Sans just smirked at his younger brother, snapping his fingers. His eye lit up in blue flame, several Gaster Blasters popping into existence. "Nah don't worry bro, I'm the genuine bone-afied real Sans!"

"SAAANNNNNNSSSS!" Papyrus called out, swinging a giant bone at a tentacle in fury.

All the other monsters snickered at the tall skeleton before getting serious and joined the fray, doing what they could to help the new brothers. Frisk stayed back and out of the way, watching everything. She still never liked to fight, always preferring to find a peaceful way. But she knew that sometimes, like now, fighting was necessary.

The entire time Dream and Night had been slowly chipping away at the creature, but as fast as they did it just seemed to rejuvenate just as faster if not faster.

"Nightlight, how do we stop this thing?" Dream said, firing arrow after arrow at the mass of goo. He and Night were starting to get tired, not having fully recovered from their previous battle against each other. And so far nothing they were doing seemed to have a lasting effect.

"I'm not sure Dream…this thing is just like how I was before." Night said, twirling his swords cutting up an attacking tentacles into pieces only to then fry them with energy. The tentacle he had just destroyed regrew itself to his frustration.

The dark guardian glanced around at the others, watching how they all did their best against the creature. Asgore and Toriel were throwing waves of flames, Alphys and Mettaton were tossing explosives, Papyrus and Undyne were raining bones and spears respectively.

Sans though was right in the fray with himself and his brother, bones, teleporting and Gaster Blasters flying all over the place.

"When this is over look-alikes, we're going to be having a chat and ketchup about how you two messed with my baby bones." Sans said when he was close enough to them both at one point, eye flaring at them. "If I find out you hurt my kid… **I'll give you both a bad time."**

Gulping both brothers nodded, unable to speak. Despite being far older than he, Sans still scared the living daylights out of them, and he knew it. Hearing a scream though caused all three skeletons souls to freeze and plummet in their rib cages.

They whipped their skulls around and saw that Frisk had been wrapped up again in tentacles, quickly bringing her closer to the main body. She was frantically squirming, trying to get free.

'FRISK!' All three of them yelled out in horror. Sans and Dream went straight for the main body to try to distract it while Night went to Frisk.

"I'm here little star, I got you." He said, seeing the terrified look in her eyes. Night cut her free from the goop that was holding her and gathered her close, feeling her shaking in his arms.

"N…Night look out!" Frisk stuttered out, nearly screaming. The skeleton turned to look over his shoulder and eye sockets widened in horror. Multiple tentacles wrapped around him and Frisk with no escape, beyond them he saw the body mass growing closer, jaws opened wide. Sans and Dream's attacks didn't seem to slow it down at all.

Unable to get away, he curled his body around Frisk's to shield her right as they both were eaten whole.

Sans and Dream both froze, watching Night and Frisk being swallowed by the creature. It seemed to swell and laugh, whipping it's tentacles around, smacking them all.

"No no no no NO NO NO! GIVE ME BACK MY BROTHER!"

"Frisk! KIDDO!"

All around them was darkness, and not the comforting of Night's. This darkness was voidless and empty, beyond cold. Frisk shivered in Night's arms, gripping them tightly. She could see him barely, thanks to the purple glow from his eyes.

"I'm…scared Night…" She whispered softly to him.

Night, who had been looking around for an escape, looked back down at Frisk. She was crying and shaking, clinging to him. He hugged her close and kissed her forehead with a spark of magic, "It's going to be ok little star, I won't let anything hurt you."

 **"EVEN YOURSELF?"**

Both human and skeleton jumped and turned at the new voice, Night took a step back at what stood there. The dark guardian's eye sockets widened in shock.

"No…that's impossible."

"Night…it looks like you…" Frisk said, peeking out a little, immediately wishing she hadn't.

The being that stood there looked just like Nightmare, just ten times more terrifying. Nothing of Night or how he looked like Sans remained, only a vague skeleton shape remained. Glowing red and yellow eyes stared at them in a fanged grinning face, large mass tentacles waved behind him. The duo felt chills run down their spines and Night took a step back.

" **LIKE WHAT YOU SEE? I'M YOU, OR RATHER…WHAT WILL BE YOU ONCE MORE…"** The thing spoke with a smug grin, voice filled with malice. The nightmare look-alike then vanished in a puddle.

Night turned rapidly, trying to figure out where the being went, before feeling something crash into his back, tossing him forward and causing Frisk to fly from his arms.

"Night!" The pacifist stood up shakily, watching the blackness start to encase the purple wearing monster. He watched as his form was once again slowly taken over by goop.

"No..no please..no not again…I can't…" The guardian was shaking, tears starting to run down his cheek bones as he watched and felt the taint cover him once more. He glanced up at Frisk, seeing her cry as well.

" **YOU WERE MINE FOR SO LONG NIGHTMARE…WE SPREAD GLORIOUS TERROR ACROSS THE WORLDS…YOU GOT AWAY FROM ME ONCE BEFORE WHEN THIS BRAT GOT TO YOU, BUT THIS TIME…WE WILL BE ONE FOREVER…YOU ARE DARKNESS. YOU ARE MISERY. WE ARE TERROR! NOTHING YOU CAN DO WILL CHANGE THAT. NEVER AGAIN!"** The voice echoed all around them, laughing at them.

"No…my brother said…Frisk said." Night panted out on his hands and knees, eye lights fading from purple to white in terror at what was happening.

 **"THAT YOU WERE GOOD? FACE IT, YOU CAUSE PAIN AND MISERY, YOU ARE DARKNESS…IT IS WHAT YOU ARE. WHAT YOU ALWAYS WILL BE…I'LL MAKE SURE OF IT, NIGHTMARE."** The voice laughed, echoing around them. **"WE WILL BE ONE!"**

Night could not stop shaking in fear, memories of the darkness, cold and terror he had caused overwhelming him. The skeleton grunted in pain when he felt tentacles once more sprout from his back. It felt worse than before, these felt like they were a true part of himself and not the taint from before. It sickened him to feel them wave and spazz out because of his pain. His eye sockets clenched shut, unable to look at his white bones being overtaken by black once again.

" **ONCE WE ARE ONE AGAIN, WE WILL DESTROY THIS BRAT HUMAN AND ANYONE ELSE THAT DARES STAND IN OUR WAY! WE WILL SPREAD DARKNESS ACROSS THIS WORLD, EVERY WORLD! A NEVER ENDING NIGHTMARE…NEVER ENDING TERROR!"**

"Please…no…Dream…Frisk help me…I can't go back to that…please…I don't want to be alone again…"


	7. Chapter 7

_" **ONCE WE ARE ONE AGAIN, WE WILL DESTROY THIS BRAT HUMAN AND ANYONE ELSE THAT DARES STAND IN OUR WAY! WE WILL SPREAD DARKNESS ACROSS THIS WORLD, EVERY WORLD! A NEVER ENDING NIGHTMARE…NEVER ENDING TERROR!"**_

 _"Please…no…Dream…Frisk help me…I can't go back to that…please…I don't want to be alone again…"_

His eyes snapped open when he felt a soft hand take his own. Beside him, clutching at his blackened bones, knelt Frisk. She was crying softly still, but her eyes held kindness and determination when she gazed at him.

Frisk had watched, scared as Night was slowly overcome by Nightmare once more. Her heart broke when she heard his cries and pleas, felt them as if they were her own, felt his terror it was so thick in the air. The human glanced around, looking for something to help her friend, when she stared at his hand as Night was doing, watching it fade from white to black. He was so scared of being alone again because of it.

Determination filled her, she would never let him be alone again.

"Night…no matter what, you'll always have me and Dream." She said softly to him.

"But…what if its right…what if all I am is just a Nightmare?" Night said softly, purple eyes flickering the cold blue from before, lighting up her face. His bones paled under the black when he saw the coloring reflected on her. "I couldn't live with myself if I hurt you both again...not again."

Frisk just smiled and gripped his hand in both of hers tightly, "You never will, I promise. And…I promise that we will always, always be there for you. You're Dream's big brother…and mine too Night. No matter h-how you look, you're still you." She tilted her head at him, watching the purple and blue tears fall as he gazed at her. She reached up to wipe them off, cradling his cheek bone, not caring about the goo there. "I still don't believe you cause n-nightmares. I don't fear you, nor feel fear because of you. I feel sad because…you're sad and scared…I want to help you."

Night just shook his skull, "There's no help for me anymore…I can't be good, I'll just cause terror like before-"

"You never did." Frisk stopped him before he could start, she held his gaze once again. "Whenever I sleep, I can have good dreams, or nightmares. But when I wake up from nightmares…there's a little nightlight Sans gave me as a gift. He told me that it would help chase away the bad and bring back the good." She smiled at him. "That's what you do Night. You chase away the bad nightmares, and help your brother bring good dreams instead."

The dark skeleton stared in shock at her, mulling over her words, "I bring…peace from nightmares? I don't…cause them?" His eye lights faintly lit up with hope.

 **"OF COURSE YOU CAUSE THEM! YOU ARE A NIGHTMARE, STOP LISTENING TO THIS PEST!"** The voice echoed around them, enraged. It felt the hope returning to Night and it could not stand it!

 _'Night…brother.'_ Night jerked in shock at hearing his brother's voice through their bond, feeling his warmth flow again. _'Listen to Frisk, she's right brother. You aren't bad, you don't cause pain, nightmares or misery. You help stop them, you help purify them into dreams for me to give. You're so strong big brother, I know you can beat this. I believe in you, as do everyone here.'_

Night felt the bond flood forth with love and hope, he closed his eye sockets to feel it as he felt Frisk hug him close. Not even thinking about it, he brought his new tentacles close around them, shielding and protecting her while he held her tightly in his arms. "Little star…I don't know how…but one day I will repay you for all you've done for me and my brother." His words were soft and slightly muffled being buried in her hair, but filled with love for the tiny human in his arms.

Frisk pulled back slightly in the cocoon of warmth she was in, she stared at Night's face, half dark and light and grinned. "You can start…by beating this thing and getting us out of here."

The skeleton smirked, eyes glowing a bright fiery purple once more, the blackness receding. "With pleasure little star."

The monsters had screamed when they saw two of their own devoured by the blob of tar, Toriel cried into her husband's arms while the others had to restrain Undyne and Sans from racing forward themselves to save them. Dream just stood there, eye lights faded to white as he felt for his brother through their bond. He clutched at his soul when he felt Night get attacked by Nightmare again and start to fade from him, felt the terror he was feeling at that moment.

Everyone quieted when they heard his soft pleas coming from the monster, the creature itself frozen in shock it seemed like. They all started to tear up at the fear in his voice, begging to not turn into Nightmare once more. When they heard Frisk start to talk, they all were filled with hope that they would be ok, listening to her soft yet strong words.

Sans watched as Dream's eye lights brightened to gold again when he closed his eye sockets and placed both hands over his soul, calling out to his brother through their bond. The hoodie wearing skeleton smirked when Dream smiled and stood back up, staff at the ready. Sans glanced behind him at the others and nodded, "Get ready guys, we're about to get a sky-lit show!"

"SANS THAT WASN'T EVEN A GOOD ONE!"

Before anything else was said the creature seemed to roar in anger and pain. The cause was quickly seen when a bright light burst forth from the top of it, shooting upwards like a shooting star. The light faded to show Night with Frisk safe in his arms, back to normal to their delight, though with one noticeable change in the purple wearing skeleton.

From his back were still tentacles, though these ones looked to be made up of the night sky filled with stars, ' _like the Milky Way'_ Sans thought to himself. With how he had them they almost looked like wings he was flying with.

Night glared down at the creature, suspended in mid air for a short moment. Purple eye lights glanced down at Frisk who stared Determined right back at him. They shared a smirk before he glanced at Dream.

"Brother! Catch!"

Sans about had a soul attack when he saw Night toss Frisk, who curled up slightly, at the light Guardian, before using his starlight tentacles to block the tainted ones from below, drawing his swords at the same time. Dream just laughed as he teleported up, catching Frisk easily. And the kid was laughing!

Oh they were so going to get it later…

The shorter skeleton laughed at his brother and Frisk, who seemed to be alright and happy again. He glanced around at the other monsters and called out, "Guys ready to play Toss-The-Human?" He grinned wider than Sans after a pun and tossed her, "Hey Classic! Catch!" Dream tossed Frisk over towards Sans, who was still giggling, and drew his bow to launch his own attack with his brother.

After that it really did turn into a game of tossing Frisk around the battle field. The creature seemed set on catching Frisk and would always change course to go after her. Sans had teleported up to catch her before casually tossing her to his brother like a football with his blue magic. Who then chucked her towards Undyne, then to Alphys and Mettaton, finally to Toriel and Asgore, where she was promptly set down by her mother and fretted over, absently sending a large wall of fire behind her.

The monsters circled around the taint creature, finally visible damage was seen on it. It was about a fourth of the size it once was and seemed to glare at them as it looked for a way out to escape. Thanks to the four skeletons though, a giant wall of powered bones encased them. It wasn't going anywhere.

Night then stepped forward with Dream, wing-like tentacles flaring behind him before vanishing into nothing, glaring hatefully at the monstrous form of Nightmare. "For ages, you poisoned me. Against others, against my mother, against my own twin. You made me believe I was darkness, pain, misery, hate…and for so long that's all I was. All I could give and understood." He glanced back at Frisk who stood beside Sans, giving him a thumbs up. He smiled at her, nodding. "It was thanks to a very special human, who I am convinced really is an angel, showed me a better way. She showed me what I had forgotten, that while Dream and I are opposites, we are alike. We are responsible for good," He gestured to his brother, "And bad emotions." Then to himself.

He took a breath before continuing strongly, "But it's thanks to Frisk that I truly understand what that means. I don't make bad and negative emotions, I don't cause nightmares. I am supposed to purify and fight against them. I didn't understand that back then, but I do now." He raised his right hand as his brother raised his left. "And I will start that with you. You will never harm anyone else ever again!"

The monster screeched and made to attack the two Guardians when it felt Night start to absorb its taint and turn it into dust. Night held his brother's hand tightly, feeling Dream help to turn the nightmare into a good dream. He watched as the other monster's used their own abilities to freeze Nightmare in its tracks, forcing it to stay still. Blue magic surrounded it, Sans held a close grip on the tainted soul. It was not about to get away.

Frisk watched this all happen from beside Sans, her big brother holding out his left hand, eye flickering blue and yellow. She looked back towards the joined hands of Dream and Night. She felt Determination fill her, she wanted to help make sure this thing never hurt anther soul ever again.

The human walked forward and placed her hand over the outstretched hand of Night, making him turn his gaze towards her a moment. She smiled softly at him, her soul shining through her chest in bright red, lighting up the area. "Together…" She said softly. He smiled and nodded. No one saw the monster gain eyes for a single second, glowing hatefully in red and yellow before vanishing.

The purple that had encased his hand took on a reddish hue, and together the duo drained the last of the Night Terror away, causing it to vanish in light particles. Everyone watched silently as the particles floated upwards, soon they couldn't tell when they ended and the twinkling stars above them began.

The monsters' attention though was drawn back down when Frisk let out of a soft moan and was swaying at the same time Night let out a louder one, staggering slightly and clutching his head. The skeleton started to collapse sideways while Frisk started to fall backwards.

"Kiddo!" "Night!" Sans and Dream called out at the same time. The light guardian caught the dark in his arms while the pun master teleported behind his sister and caught her.

"I think they're ok…they just seem drained." Sans said after checking over Frisk. Both of them were out cold. He glanced back up at the other, "Let's get them somewhere to rest…we all need it." He grinned suddenly, "I don't know about you guys, I'm bone-tired."

"SANS I SWEAR TO ASGORE!"

 _Sometime later_

At first, she didn't know where she was when Frisk woke. She felt completely drained, but at the same time, completely safe wherever she was. It was a little lumpy, and the pacifist felt a bony hand on her head but it didn't feel like Sans'. And Papyrus never took off his gloves. It took a few tries for her to get her eyes open, but when she finally did they softened at what she saw.

Frisk was half laying on the couch, half laying across Night who held her loosely in his sleep with one arm, the other was curled around his brother who he was laying against himself. Dream was sitting up sorta, leaning against the back and side of the couch in her home. It was his hand that was lying on her head gently, the other holding his brother's arm around himself. She giggled when she saw that Night had his new appendages out, curled around herself and Dream like a cocoon of starlight and warmth.

Looking around as best as she could, Frisk saw that Sans was laying on the part of her that wasn't laying on Night, hugging her close and burying his skull in her side, sound asleep. Around the couch on various chairs or on the floor with pillows was the rest of her family. Safe and sound asleep.

"Frisk…thank you.' Dream says softly, startling her. He had woken up when he felt her shifting. When she turned her gaze back to him he started playing with her hair while shifting to hold his brother's hand. His golden eye lights were soft, dimly lighting the darkened living room. "You gave me my brother back…you saved us both. I missed him so much, you have no idea how happy I am right now. You saved us little star."

He paused when he felt Night's hand tighten and his brother opened his eye sockets, purple light mixing with the gold in the room, making an ethereal aura surrounding them. "I've missed you too little brother…I'm glad you're with me again."

Frisk giggled when they gently conked their heads together, gazing at one another in peace. Night adjusted his new tentacles and made his brother more comfortable sitting up. The brothers paused though when Frisk's giggles turned louder when Sans tickled her in her sides. The voices and shifting around woke the lazy skeleton.

He had a soft grin on his face at the bond the other two had, then grinned wider when an idea crossed him. He pulled Frisk closer to himself, tickling her sides with his bony fingers along the way. "Come here you, baby bones need their rest after saving everyone again." Dream and Night watched with smiles as the Classic skeleton pulled the human closer and zipped her up in his hoodie, cuddling her lovingly. He had been terrified he was going to lose his sister today, he only felt better when she was close, safe in his arms.

Frisk smiled when this happened, she loved cuddling with Sans like this, safe and comfy in his hoodie. She felt even safer when Night gently curled his tentacles around the two, pulling them closer on himself again and making them comfortable. Dream chuckled, moving his hand back onto Frisk's head and running his phalanges through her hair. Sans used his magic to bring out a blanket to cover them all from the chill around the living room and to adjust the others blankets as well. The two guardians shared a smile when they settled down to sleep again, exhausted after the day they've had. They never let go of each other's hand.

"We're going to talk in the morning about all of this baby bones…but I'm so glad you're safe home now…" Sans murmured softly, kissing her forehead. He smiled when she giggled at the spark of magic he left.

Frisk cuddled closer on the edge of sleep, gripping Sans' sweater. "Love you all…sweet dreams."

"Heh…always kiddo."

 **And that is that everyone! I hope you enjoyed it and a HUGE thank you to GoldGuardian for all their amazing help, ideas and support! Without them this story would have taken forever and a day to do and wouldn't be near as good. I hope to do more work with them in the future!**


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